Recent posts
Methodology of Scientific Research
This course teaches the Scientific Method, its history and its applications. We discuss how to observe, measure and model reality to understand it.
DNA melting temperature
Energy, entropy and thermodynamics
Bioinformatics 2022
This course teach how to interpret and understand the results of bioinformatic analyses. Even if they do not use the tools, all molecular biologists need to understand the meaning of bioinformatics results. It is important to speak the same language, and be aware of the key aspects that can lead to the experiment's success or failure.
Handling thesis drafts
If you are doing your thesis under my supervision, then you need to read this article. It describes how we interact using online tools.
Rules for writing
Scientists are writers. Papers, reports, projects, and so on. It is important to write clearly to be understood. If you write in manuscript, you need to use a good calligraphy. There are also rules for typing a text in the computer. Here are these basic rules.
All homework for the bioinformatics course
In case you have forgotten, here is a list of all that you must deliver.
Systems Biology
Systems Biology is a systemic approach to understand the biological phenomena that occurs inside a cell at the molecular level. This course is an introduction to the theoretical tools that are used to understand the emerging behavior of complex biological networks.
Bioinformatics 2021
This course teach how to interpret and understand the results of bioinformatic analyses. Even if they do not use the tools, all molecular biologists need to understand the meaning of bioinformatics results. It is important to speak the same language, and be aware of the key aspects that can lead to the experiment's success or failure.
Calculating π as Archimedes did
Every 14 of March, mathematical inclined people around the world publishes articles about π, circles and diameters. Here we use the tools developed in previous posts to calculate some digits of π.
The secret number, the golden number, and the Babylonian method to find them
Now that we know how to calculate numbers with a lot of decimals, let's look for the number that Pythagoras does not want you to know, and for the number made of gold.
Ten thousand digits of 𝑒
Your computer is better than your dad's computer. It can easily do things that old computers had hard time doing. We just need to think it well and explain the steps one by one.
Methodology of Scientific Research
This course focus in theoretical and practical aspects of doing science. In particular we learn how to design good experiments that can create high-impact knowledge. This year we will focus on gene expression experiments.
I'm on Chilean TV!
Among the several shows in Chilean TV, there is one about Chilean expats. It is called “Siempre hay un Chileno” (that is “There is always a Chilean”). The name comes from the idea that, wherever in the world you go, there will alway be a Chilean migrant.
An easy way to transform your R script into a nice report
Let’s say we have written an R script and we want to include some comments about it. For example, we want to discuss the meaning of the results. It is easy to make a report from your R script, with the simple changes we discuss here.
How to solve hard problems
People are asking “How can I solve the homework? It is too hard”. Here are some steps that may help you.
Hard problems
Some students argue that the exercise “find the largest value” is too hard. This raises the question “What do we mean by hard problem”? The answer teach us important things about life, the universe, and everything.
Should I learn Turkish? What is best for the University?
Some people ask me why I do not learn Turkish. It is a good question. For sure, it will be good for me. I would be able to speak about football with the butcher, discuss politics with my father-in-law, and read my collection of Matematik Dünyası magazine. But, what is best for our University?
My academic ancestors
A database of all mathematicians and their advisors shows my academic ancestors since Persia in 1200. Some famous names among my ancestors.
The Biologist Toolbox: Simulating Systems on the computer
Once we have a description of a system, and a nice drawing to represent it, we can answer some interesting questions. The first question is usually “what will happen?” In other words, we usually want to know what is the behavior of the system.
The Biologist Toolbox: Drawing Systems
Can we represent a complex system in a simple and easy-to-understand way that is still realistic enough to be useful? The graphical representation that we discuss here, based on Petri nets, can be used to summarize a dynamical system and can easily be translated into a simulation.
Free fall experiment
We can use the computer to extract specific information from pictures and movies. Here we use some command-line tools to analyze a simple experiment. The experiment is simple, but the analysis had many unexpected compications.
Keep your mind sharp on August
Why do rich kids learn more than poor kids? According to some research, the “achievement gap” between kids of high-income and low-income families is not that rich kids learn more, but that they forget less in the summer holiday. Following this idea, I propose a couple of challenges to keep your mind active during the holidays, and maybe win a nice book.
My Professor got an International Prize
One of my professors got an international award. He had already won the most prestigious national recognitions in Science. Now he became global. This gives me the opportunity to start a series of posts about my world-class professors and their international achievements.